1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge detachably mountable to this electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a handle used in this process cartridge, and an attaching method of this handle.
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium by using an electrophotographic image forming process, and includes e.g., an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (e.g., an LED printer, a laser-beam printer, etc.), an electrophotographic facsimile machine, an electrophotographic word processor, etc.
In the process cartridge, charging means, developing means or cleaning means as process means and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge, and this cartridge is detachably mountable to a main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The electrophotographic photosensitive drum and at least one of the charging means, the developing means and the cleaning means as the process means are also integrally made into a cartridge, and this cartridge is detachably mountable to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Further, at least the developing means as the process means and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge, and this cartridge is detachably mountable to the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Further, the handle is arranged to be gripped by a user when the process cartridge is detached from and attached to the above apparatus main body.
2. Related Background Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process conventionally adopts a process cartridge system in which an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and process means acting on this electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge, and this cartridge is detachably mountable to a main body of the image forming apparatus. In accordance with this process cartridge system, the apparatus can be personally maintained by a user instead of a service man for maintenance so that operability can be greatly improved. Therefore, this process cartridge system is widely used in the image forming apparatus.
In such a process cartridge, a flange having a shaft member extended outside the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is attached to each of both side end portions of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and this shaft member is rotatably positioned and secured to a frame (referred to as cartridge frame) of the process cartridge through a bearing member.
The present invention is made by further developing the above related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge for reducing the number of parts, a handle used in this process cartridge, an attaching method of this handle, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the above process cartridge is detachably mountable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge excellent in detachable-attachment operability, a handle used in this process cartridge, an attaching method of this handle, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the above process cartridge is detachably mountable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge having a handle having a function for regulating the disconnection of a bearing portion from a frame, the handle used in this process cartridge, an attaching method of this handle, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the above process cartridge is detachably mountable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge improved in assembly property, a handle used in this process cartridge, an attaching method of this handle, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the above process cartridge is detachably mountable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a handle having
a regulating portion for regulating the disconnection of a bearing portion arranged in the frame and supporting a shaft projected from an end portion of the photosensitive drum in its longltudinal direction from the frame when the handle is attached to the frame, and
a gripping portion for being gripped and extended upstream from the regulating portion in a mounting direction of the process cartridge to the apparatus main body,
a process cartridge having the handle, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which this process cartridge is detachably mountable.